The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-12-31
A CLEVER CAPTURE.

II " OAoch ouc uOIuIuS tWeu
~ years ago was on railroad train
gong from Portage. Wisconsin, tc
Mllwaukee. / had been out on some
private detective work for parties in
tne latter city, and had succeeded SO
well that | was both happy and Sleep
less. This was the reason was not
10 sleeping car, fast held in the arms
u slumber, instead of occupying a
seat In the common coach, with my
eyes very wide open and my wits all
about me.
4 may say, without egotism. that
am an observing man. There are
Others in plenty, but the greater half
9f humanity go through life with
rsr eyes half shut. My father was
"a Sheriff for many years, and as a
boy. he taught me to observe and re-
member. If L went down town or
out for walk, 1 had to tell him,
when got home, who and what /
had seen. On one occasion, for falling
to report loose horse l had seen in
the road, l got sound thrashing,
and again, for falling to report a
street fight, my liberty was taken
away for four days. l can thus truth
fully say to you that | had the habit
of observation licked into me, while
nature had kindly furnished me with
very retentive memory. By and
by L began to study human character
as a profession, and l liked it.
learned TO read mems characteristics
by their faces, and their thoughts by
their actions, and on two occasions
this faculty of perception prevented
Jail deliveries.
was wide awake, as L have told
you, when the train stopped at a
country station on signal. 1t barely
came to standstill, and only one
passenger got aboard. The car was
pretty we'll filled, and such of the
passengers as had seats alone were
stretched out in sleep. | had sized
up every one near me, and had coun-
ted up two honest old farmers, a
drover, two milliners, a mechanic
and family, and house painter who
was evidently going to the city for
work. No one seemed to notice the
entrance of the new passenger. 1t
was in October, and he had on a fall
overcoat. He carried heavy yalise
afsle looking if6m fgnt sHS g q8T feIT is
he finally reached my seat. l moved
to the window as hint that | was
ready to share it with him, but he
hesitated for long minute, and look
ell at me sharply three or four times
before he finally sat down. The
,alchel he placed between his feet,
lie had not uttered word, and after
sitting down he seemed to forget all
about rae.
"Hello! but l have found a two.
legged hog" said to myself after d
bit. II offered him half my seat OF
my own free will, and he seems to be
mad because l did not surrender il
all. Old fellow, you are an HI. O. G..
and no mistake. Let me look you
over bit.
leaned back against the window
pretended to shut my eyes and re-
sumo my nap, and then inventorieC
the fellow. He had hard, crue
face on him. and felt sure he was {
man with little mercy in his heart
l had not been looking at him oyel
two minutes when | saw that he was
taking sly glances at me, and thaI
he was quite anxious about tht
satchel. In the course of five min
utes he turned around and gave me
a thorough looking over, and | reaf
in the gesture of his hand and tn,
| toss of his head that he said to him
self:
"Bah! Why should l be afraid o
him ?''
His dress was that of barkeeper-
rather flashy. The jewelry he wor
gave him away as well. If he wa
not barkeeper he was at least th
owner of saloon, and, from hi
build. / judged him to be pugilis
of more or less local fame. Afte
one general look at his dress, l begaI
at his collar to make closer inspec
ton. His shirt collar kept working
up to annoy him, and | said to my
self that the button was gone and HI
had fastened it with pin. In hi
twisting around he pulled his oyer
coat back. and l saw that the toI
button on his under coat had beel
pulled out by violent jerk, leaving
hole in the cloth. The coat wa
new, and it would take a heav.
wrench to pull the button out tha
way. L followed his arm down t
his right hand, and across the bacl
of it was long scratch. 1t was